Pivot Point
by angelicyokai
Summary: Lost Again! Zoro is stuck dealing with an injured crew mate. When their interactions can't devolve into kicking, slicing and cursing, how will the pair get throught the night and back to the ship?
1. Chapter 1

After many, many moons, I have returned to fanfiction as my sole source of solace. As you can see, this is slash. Its very slash people, so if you were looking for more Zoro/Tashigi, you'll either have to hang on a bit, or go look up the glorious fiction that Flamemajic has submitted. I have about 10 chapters of this already done, so updates will actually occur.

Slash Slash Slash Slash SLASH!!!!!! Don't read it if you don't like it, flames will be used as air conditioning as the fires of hell have nothing compared to Arizona.

I make no money off this drivel.

It was entirely that damn blonde bastard's fault, Zoro thought to himself as he trudged through the humid, dark jungle and searched for a path back to the mugiwara crew's ship.

The crew had landed on a random island shaped somewhat like a camel, at least according to Luffy. Since they had begun running low on provisions by the third day of their recent voyage, Sanji had decided that any place would be fine to restock. At this point the crew never questioned that they would have to stock nearly two months of provisions for every two weeks of travel. Yelling at Luffy never worked. It seemed the Captain couldn't help himself and it was possible that his ravenous appetitive was merely a side effect of his devil-fruit ability. Zoro had finally snapped at Sanji to simply buy a year's worth of food, since it would never spoil with their Captain around, only to be leveled with the especially hateful glare that the cook reserved only for him.

"I stock the ship's hold from floor to ceiling at every port, you stupid marimo, so either find a bigger ship for us to sail, or shut your trap." With that caustic comment the cook disregarded his presence and wandered back into the kitchen.

Since that point Zoro hadn't bothered to speak with him. In fact, he attempted to spend as little time as possible in the idiot's company as possible. He got the feeling their continuing tension was putting a strain on the other members of the crew, but didn't care enough to attempt to remedy the problem. This was mostly because the only remedy he could see would involve pitching the sarcastic cook over a railing and sailing away at full speed.

With a sigh, Zoro pulled out one of his blades and began hacking at the thick press of foliage. Had the swordsman attempted civility with the cook, though he doubted it would be reciprocated, this little side trip through the jungle might have been avoided altogether. Nami, inspired no doubt by their stubborn sullenness, had decided that the he and the blond should be in charge of collecting all the ship's needed supplies themselves. Though she claimed that this was because both Usopp and Luffy seemed to be sick, the boys' obviously fake coughing and the glimmer of fear in their eyes were marks that they had been threatened into feigning illness by the terror inspiring navigator.

He would never abandon Luffy. He had sworn to help the Captain obtain his dream of finding Once Piece, as Luffy would do anything, he knew, to help him in his dream of being the greatest swordsman on earth, including not interfering while Zoro nearly died fighting against Mihawk and others. It was a strange bond that Zoro and his Captain shared. They understood each other without needing to verbalize, and while others, mostly Nami might call the straw hat captain an idiot, Zoro thought Luffy may well be the most perceptive person he had ever met. He did greatly regret at times that their crew had branched out beyond the two of them. He liked most of those he traveled with. Though Nami was a miserly harpy, they crew needed someone like her to keep them all in line. The others, Chopper and Usopp, he considered to be true friends, and their quirks could be easily overlooked. Zoro tried to completely overlook Robin for the moment, as he couldn't decide what to make of her, or if he should really trust her.

That just left the cook, and damn but he wished they could just _leave_ the cook. He was half considering being reasonable during this forced outing, but just a few minutes in Sanji's presence had made him walk boldly on his own into the jungle.

Now he was lost, and had been for at least a few hours. Enough time had passed for afternoon to give way to night, and while he swore that the island had looked rather small when they sailed up to it, he couldn't find his way back for the life of him. He was also fairly sure that in most areas of the world, 'jungle' and 'hot' were synonymous, but some trick of the Grand Line had made this tropic stiflingly hot and humid by day, then clammily cold and humid at night. Even more worrisome than being lost and cold, was the growing suspicion that this 'uninhabited' island had other guests on it besides the Mugiwara. A few footprints were the first clue, and the beer bottles he had seen about 15 minutes ago made him worry for the safety of the crew. At least he worried for about 30 seconds until he realized that Luffy was likely still aboard the ship, so while he may have to put up with new or temporary crew mates depending on his captain's mood, there was no chance that their ship would be taken.

He continued to push through the brush; grumbling about the crew, the island, that damn cook, the jungle, being lost, being cold, and that damn COOK, when he thought he caught a whiff of acrid smoke.

It was about damn time, he thought, finally he could get back to the crew, get some dinner and call it a night. If the stupid cook were back on the ship then there would at least be something decent to eat, and if the blonde had gotten lost on the island, then Zoro had something to call him on the next time the bastard began his tirade of insults. Honestly how could one person be such an asshole all the...was that a scream?

Ch1 end--- (More to follow)


	2. Chapter 2

~~~Yay Chapter 2. Warnings include disgusting, drunken pirates being evil. Not much beyond that. I own nothing and no one from One Piece.~~~

Zoro stopped short in his plowing through the undergrowth and immediately dropped into a crouch. He couldn't be certain, but he was sure he heard something like a cry in the distance, and didn't want to walk into some animal's den.

Moving soundlessly through weeds and shrubs, Zoro paused to switch the sword he had been hacking with to his right hand, put Wado Ichimonji in his mouth, and then crept forward using his empty left hand for balance. As he made his way forward he realized he didn't need stealth. The sounds of hearty male laughter and the scent of fire and alcohol proved that there were in fact others on this island. His stomach clenched in revulsion, as he smelled what could only be the scent of puke mixed with the vile bouquet assaulting his senses. With instincts honed by years of fighting and running in bad circles, he estimated that this group had been around the area for about two weeks, drinking and eating too much. One would have thought that there would be little to entertain after two weeks, but several men were chortling with mirth

Hearing the insults that were being slung about, Zoro really didn't want to look up and see what these bastards had been entertaining themselves with.

"It's a good thing you showed up, boy," said one thug with stringy black hair and a beer stained white shirt, "we was getting bored." More laughter ensued at this 'witty' remark.

"Its amazing that the darts we set out to paralyze animals would actually work on a person. You must have been real dumb." Sounded a mountain of a man, at least six feet tall, and barrel chested, as he looked slightly better dressed than the others; Zoro assumed he was the leader of this band.

There was more raucous laughter at the leader's 'joke' and Zoro, beginning to seethe with rage, cautiously rose out of his crouch to observe more of his surroundings.

There were three more thugs; one apparently wandering off to relieve himself, had a recently broken nose and had glared sullenly at the leader before walking into the woods opposite the camp from Zoro's position. One short, gaunt looking man was busily downing some ale, and a final man actually caught Zoro's attention. The last man wore only faded blue pants and brown boots, but unlike his accomplices, this man was carrying weapons. The thug had a pair of daggers that he was flipping and catching in the air, and with a malicious glint in his eye, he threw one of them at the feet of the leader. Confusion struck Zoro at the pointlessness of this attack until a few seconds later when the 'ground' at the boss's feet gave a low groan.

Slowly, bracing for what he was about to see, Zoro stood up completely, and over the foliage the group's feet came into view.

The man, or so Zoro assumed from the taunts of 'boy', on the ground was dressed in what seemed to be blue and black rags, and was currently curled protectively around his midsection, arms hugging his ribs. The man's back was to him, and from this angle the head wasn't visible, but Zoro could see the dagger, thrown by the shirtless thug, sticking out of the man's upper arm. The victim appeared to be covered in numerous similar wounds, and a clear liquid that Zoro believed, or hoped, was from drinks being thrown on him.

Laughing, the leader reached down and plucked the knife from the man's arm. As he tossed the blade back to his owner he kicked the fallen man, earning another low groan.

"So, boy, you all out of smart-ass remarks now? Ready to tell us what ship you came in on? Maybe if you play nice, we'll be kind enough to bring you with us when we take it over." The leader then upended his drink on the hapless man, causing a shudder and hiss from the victim as the alcohol hit his open wounds.

Incredulously, Zoro watched the man try to rise from the ground. Zoro would have thought that anyone, aside from himself and Luffy, would be unconscious from his wounds, but the man was attempting to rise up and face his attacker. The huge leader was apparently unpleased but not shocked by this move as he casually backhanded the man to the ground once again.

"Still trying to struggle are we, boy, you're going to be in for one pain filled evening if you keep this up."

Zoro was floored as the fall caused the battered man to land facing him. The pirate-hunter nearly dropped his sword from his suddenly numb hand as the matted blond hair and dazed features of the ero-cook came into view. He watched in stunned disbelief as the man struggled on the ground.

He knew what people were capable of, more that the rest of his happy-go-lucky crew, because of his days as a pirate-hunter. Zoro never completely forgot the evils men were capable of but he liked being distracted from it, and the Mugiwara crew was certainly able to one feel like everything would always be okay. If it ever weren't, as with Nami and Arlong Park, Luffy and the crew would beat people down until things _were_ okay again.

Nothing like this should be able to happen to his nakama while he, Luffy, and hell even Usopp and Chopper were around. Seeing Sanji more beaten than he had even been, even at Clockwork Island, made the heartless pirate-hunter's jaw and fists clench with rage. For these five men the punishment for abusing his companion would be swift death, and it was probably better than the dogs deserved

End Ch2.

Author's notes: As you can see, this story will be updated considerably faster than my other fics. Also, in case anyone wondered I don't include Frankie or Brook in my stories, they haven't had a lot of screen time in the anime comparatively, so I can't decide how to write them. Also, as Zoro goes through swords like runners through shoes, I only name Wado Ichimonji in my fics.

Hope people are liking this fic.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Warnings of semi-graphic violence and cursing. I make no money. Really none at all, and certainly not from this stuff. I own nothing.

As he moved forward to begin the destruction of the bastards, he heard something that brought the tiniest bit of mirth to the situation. As Sanji was a cook, he might have said what Zoro thought he heard, but he was pretty sure that the caustic, if weak, retort was something much more scathing than 'duck stew'.

As he cleared the edge of the foliage, all of the thug's eyes turned to him. They managed only to blink stupidly as the feared pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro moved into view. Any possibility of attack or flight was lost to the villains as with a lunge and a cry of 'ONI GIRI' Zoro leapt over Sanji's prone form and the disgusting, abusive leader fell to the ground in four different pieces. The attack happened too quickly for him to cry out, and his empty booze bottle was still clenched in a twitching, severed arm.

Leaping and spinning in the air, Zoro slammed the sword in his left hand straight into the chest of the beer guzzling thin man, and with his right cut the cur's legs from him at the knees. He watched with grim satisfaction as the body, now leg-less, slid downward to land with a grizzly squelch.

The stringy, black haired man screamed and tried to make a run for it, but Zoro was beyond mercy and in a few quick movements leapt on the man from behind and, knocking him to the ground by planting both feet on other's lower back, slit the man's throat. As he jumped back the body fell through its own blood spray.

There were now only two left, and only one in the clearing. As he spun to take out the dagger-wielding man he saw he had made a mistake. Any fighter worthy of the term should have been out for his blood; Zoro had over estimated the creature in front of him by even thinking of him as a man. In the dagger wielder's hold was Sanji. The barely conscious cook was braced in front of the thug, and a knife drew a thin line of blood from his exposed throat.

"Now then swordsman," the callous bastard couldn't hide the tremble in his voice, "if you want this man to live you're going to throw those swords to me, then lay on the ground. Any funny moves and I'll slit his throat." Zoro could think of no attack that would slay this dog and leave the ero-cook unscathed, but neither of them would live if he gave up his swords. He didn't know what else he could do.

He needn't have worried. Sanji was a fighter, no matter how grievous his injuries, and the dagger holder's plans were quickly foiled when a leg, capable of felling a tree, swung backward straight into his crotch. The squeal that followed should have probably been audible only to dogs, and the man, grabbing himself, relinquished his hostage as he slumped to the ground.

Acting without thinking Zoro moved to catch his crewmate before he hit the ground and damaged himself further. He wrapped one arm around the cook's midsection and leaned the blond against his body while he put the dagger wielder out of his misery with a stab to the throat.

It was pure instinct that made Zoro lean as much of his lower body away from the cook as possible, and thankfully so, as another devastating kick was sent in his general direction. He was about to start yelling at the bastard when he got a look at the blonde man's dazed and half crazed expression. It was obvious that Sanji had no idea where he was or who was holding him up, so he was reacting in the only way available.

Zoro knew that if Sanji got a kick in on him, even at his current weakened state, it would leave them both vulnerable, and there was one man still out in the darkness. Acting quickly, Zoro threw his upper body against Sanji as the cook lashed out with another punishing kick, and throwing the blonde off balance managed to lower them both to the ground with out further injury. The green haired fighter grimaced as his sheathes likely bruised his hip when he landed heavily on his side.

"Oi, ero-co... Sanji, its Zoro, stop fighting." The thrashing next to him told him the blunt approach wasn't helping much.

Zoro Rolled onto his stomach and leaned as much of his weight as he thought was safe onto Sanji, and attempted to reason with the cook in a slightly less gruff tone.

"Oi, Sanji, I know you're hurting, but you gotta calm down. The men are dead, or soon to be. Nothing's here to hurt you any more." Zoro knew that if he heard someone wasting their breath to speak such nonsensical crap to him, he would slay them on principle. Sanji, Zoro noted, had always seemed to go in for long and pointless speeches, so maybe this was the best way to approach him.

As it was, while Sanji seemed to be struggling to breathe, he did seem to calm down a bit, and it was interesting to watch the man return to consciousness as his vision cleared.

Sanji took a few seconds to look around him before locking eyes with the green-haired swordsman.

"What in the hell are you doing here, Marimo? And could you maybe get the hell off of me? My ribs are busted from those shit-eating fools." Came Sanji's wheezing rasp.

Rolling his eyes as he rolled to the side, Zoro shook his head in amusement. Despite the abuse to the man's body, the blond was apparently still his normal, pain in the ass, self. Zoro shouldn't have worried about his companion, the ero-cook could be sent into hell itself, and would merely take the opportunity to barbecue.

Standing and looking around quickly, Zoro tried to get a grip on the cook and pull him up. Unsurprising, his efforts to aid were shrugged off as Sanji batted his hands away. "We need to get the hell out of here now ero-cook, there is still one ass left running around and I don't want to be caught surprised out here."

Sanji shot a withering glare at the swordsman's outstretched hands and tried to rise unaided. This attempt was short lived as the injured and still bleeding cook fell to the ground, wrapping his arms around his wounded midsection.

Zoro sighed as he stared at his most irritating companion. The man was covered in blood and filth from neck to toe. Aside from a cut at the corner of his mouth the blond's face was left mostly unscathed, but now that he was closer he could see that what had once been one of Sanji's more oft worn suits was now missing its jacket and was so ragged that it could barely be recognized as clothing. As a master of blades, Zoro could easily tell that the tears had been deliberate. Someone, probably the man with the knives, had painstakingly ripped the pants up to the belt loops in several locations, and made slashes across and down the shirt. Those men didn't want Sanji dead or even defeated, they had wanted him broken and humiliated.

Watching his nakama, cursing as he struggled to breath and move, Zoro nearly rolled his eyes again. The swordsman knew he would be just as adamant, if not more so, to not receive help from his companion, and if the island were empty he would let the cook crawl around in the mud until he passed out. With the enemy still alive Sanji's pride would have to wait. Sanji would be apoplectic, but Zoro was certain he could carry or drag the injured cook with one arm and still fight with the other. Course decided the swordsman unsheathed Wado Ichimonji, and quickly realized that killing those bastards really _was_ too good for them as Sanji, likely despite his own best efforts, cringed away from the swordsman.

Any coddling would likely piss Sanji off further, but it appeared that things he'd never thought needed saying had to be affirmed.

"You piss me off ero-cook and I doubt that will ever change," the green haired swordsman leveled a stare at Sanji that probably made the cook want to back away further, "but I'd cut my own arm off before I'd raise my sword against you as you are right now." Zoro just waited for some sign that Sanji understood, so they could get the hell out of this shit hole.

"Who the hell said you would, you green haired bastard." Sanji muttered with far less than his normal venom as he observed the ground beside him. Zoro knew the cook was bad off when he lost the ability to rage at the swordsman.

A little tired of dealing with the blond cook, and still needing to get away Zoro swooped down to kneel in front of Sanji. Ignoring the look of surprise on the other man's face and the hiss of pain, Zoro got an arm under the cook's knees, hefted him, and basically hung the injured man over his shoulder as he stood, the other's long legs dangling down his chest and torso, and quickly began jogging from the camp. As he moved he realized that Sanji wasn't wearing anything that could be called clothing as he caught glimpses of flesh that really shouldn't be exposed to the cold night air. Looking away he decided that he was going to burn this entire evening from his memory as soon as it was over.

The swordsman knew that he wouldn't be able to fight well while carrying Sanji, but hoped that if they got away quick enough, he could get the cook some place defendable, then set about planning the death of the last man.

Sanji, of course, didn't take well to being hauled like a sack of grain. He spluttered and cursed. The ero-cook also tried to knee Zoro in the face, but the swordsman had anticipated such a move and had one arm, honed by years with the blade, holding the blond man's legs immobile. The maneuver was working well until the fighting stopped and a hitched rasp could be heard from his irate companion.

"Ahh, shit!" was all Zoro bothered to say as he remembered that being bounced on a muscled shoulder might possibly be the worse thing for cracked ribs. As carefully as the rough swordsman could he slid Sanji off his shoulder. As he tried to lower the man to the ground however, lanky arms wrapped around the Zoro's shoulders.

"No…can't stop…could be…followed…I'll walk, just…" this proved to be the most speech the cook was capable of, and he just leaned against Zoro, panting as he struggled to remain upright.

Being the type of person who would really rather sever his own arm than ask for help, he knew that relying on Zoro at all had likely cost Sanji dearly in the pride department. Saying nothing, Zoro put an arm around the cook and taking most of the other man's weight began walking.

Conveniently, Zoro had carried Sanji back in the direction he had came from before reaching the camp. He had stopped only a mile or so back to drink from a river that ran past what seemed to be a small cave. As the green haired man had been searching for a ship, not a hideout, he hadn't paid too much attention, but now he believed he had a location where the two men could wait out the cold night.

As they moved in silence, Zoro's keenly honed senses noted that they were likely not being followed, that Sanji was shivering and, if the flinching with each step was a clue, in tremendous amounts of pain. Zoro marveled that his companion had made it through this entire ordeal relatively conscious, though he was certain that it was sheer stubbornness that was keeping the cook standing at the moment. He really wished Chopper were here; the timid deer would have Sanji patched up and resting in no time. As it was, only an evening in pain awaited the blond when Zoro finally got him to safety.

Watching Sanji out of the corner of his eye, he believed that the other man was going to need more than a doctor to get over the day's events. A defeat like this could eat away at a man's pride and self esteem, and it usually took more that will power to get through. Zoro had gotten through his own rough times by fighting, or rather killing, but he thought the outgoing chef would do better with relying on their nakama than taking the path that had nearly eroded Zoro's soul.

Yet Zoro knew that the stubborn, proud chef would likely do anything in his power to stop others from knowing what had happened to him, and the swordsman would never tell. So with the others out of the picture how was he to address and, god help him he sounded like someone's mother, comfort the pain that he could discern in the blond man's every movement, and in every furtive glance that he gave the passing terrain? He had no idea what, if anything, he could do for the nakama he would have sworn was closer to being his nemesis than his friend only an hour or so ago.

After what seemed to be ages of moving forward in silence, with Zoro basically carrying the cook as Sanji moved his feet barely enough to pretend he was still walking, the duo reached the cave Zoro had spotted earlier.

End Ch 3

Author's Notes: Longest chapter so far. I just couldn't find a good point to break this part off.


	4. Chapter 4

Yay, I finally got this updated. Thanks so much to those who review! For those of you waiting, this will likely be the last chapter before the M rating is necessary for the fiction.

I own nothing and no one, and make no money off this fic (_Pity me!!!_)

* * *

Stopping near the cave entrance, Zoro propped his companion against the nearest tree so he could go in and make sure that no one and nothing had taken up residence within.

The cave was in fact both empty and cave-like, being a hollowed out area about ten feet in diameter, not exactly roomy, but at least it was dry, as well as being nearly hidden by overgrown foliage. He was pleasantly surprised to find that merchants might have used this island in the past, as a crate was pushed against the back wall. A brief search inside brought forth a blanket, some beef jerky, dried fruit and, thank god, four full bottles of rum. This would make the evening pass by with much less irritation than Zoro had thought possible. The rum would likely have no affect on himself, but if he could get Sanji good and drunk the other man could escape his current pain and sleep for a while. Then they could get back to the ship, Chopper could fix Sanji, and Zoro could _fix_ the remaining bastard out on the island.

Zoro's keen hearing caught the sound of splashing outside and, pulling a blade, he rapidly exited the cave to meet any new threat. The swordsman's eyes widened as he saw that there was no physical threat, but that Sanji was at risk of freezing to death as he had apparently stripped off his shredded clothing and staggered into the nearby stream. The water didn't seem deep, just below waist level, so it was unlikely the blond fool would drown, but in his efforts to get clean, if the vicious scrubbing Zoro observed was any clue, the injured man was subjecting himself to frigid temperatures. Zoro might not be a doctor and couldn't understand the detailed terminology that Chopper rattled off, but the pirate hunter was pretty sure that wounds, plus cold, plus naked, equaled really damn bad.

"Oi, ero-cook! Get the hell out of the water, you want to freeze to death!"

Zoro could have smacked himself for being such an ass after all the crap Sanji had gone through this evening. Bellowing, while approaching the nude man with a sword drawn was clearly not the best way to coerce the other the other to leave the water. As it was Sanji jerked at his voice, then promptly toppled back into the water while grasping his midsection.

Sticking his sword into the ground as he went Zoro plowed into the river. The fighter moved with haste instilled by having half a crew who would simply die if no one saved them in water. Quickly honing in on the blonde's thrashing form, the swordsman trudged through the frigid stream to his companion.

Judging by the bubbles and flailing limbs Sanji was trying to stand and failing. As soon as Zoro reached the other man he grabbed the cook around the torso and hauled him upright, bracing himself as the cook thudded against his chest.

"God...::cough::...dammit..." Sanji didn't manage anything less abrasive for several moments as he choked on water and struggled to regain his footing. Likely unaware of his actions, the cook had latched on to Zoro's shoulders and was currently resting his head on the swell of the swordsman's chest.

As Sanji relearned to breath, Zoro took note of his physical condition. With the clothes, well rags, removed he could see the large bruise on the cook's side, probably from a kick, and if the ribs weren't broken, Zoro would be shocked. Beyond that the other's body was dotted with small wounds from the knife thrower. Though he doubted the other man realized it, he was lucky that the dagger wielding scumbag had used stilettos and not a heavier weapon, or Sanji would have likely bled out by now. Thankfully the small wounds caused from the blade seemed to have all stopped bleeding. The blond probably had wounds on his legs as well, but Zoro really didn't want to be caught looking at anything below Sanji's waist if he could help it.

When Sanji's breathing returned to normal, the blond straightened slightly and tried to back away. Of course in his current condition, this meant that he immediately went backwards to the water again.

Once again fed up with the irritating cook, Zoro latched on to the other man's arms and pulled the blond flush against his more stable body. He received a more subdued version of Sanji's usual glare and the blond began to struggle. Before the cook could injure himself further, Zoro removed a hand from one of Sanji's arms to clamp onto the other man's chin, forcing him to meet the annoyed swordsman's glare, he felt a pang of guilt at manhandling his injured crew mate but didn't let that deter him.

"Stop it, dammit. You're going to hurt yourself worse and Chopper's going to blame me for it. We both know just how tough you are, so stop trying to prove it. Let's just get out of this shitty river and try to get warm." He looked into Sanji's eyes, waiting to see if his words would penetrate the empty void where the other's brain should be.

"Whatever asshole, I'm going to kick your ass when this is over." Muttered Sanji, as he lightly tugged his hand free of the swordsman's grasp and slung it over Zoro's shoulder.

Slightly shocked but pleased that Sanji would ever cooperate with _anything _he tried to do, Zoro got one arm around the other's thin waist, trying not to further irritate the injured ribs, and ignoring the constant tremble in Sanji, as well quelling the chattering of his own teeth, Zoro trudged back through the water to the cave.

Entering the cave, Zoro lowered his shivering companion to the ground and handed the slightly dusty, tan colored blanket from the crate to the other man. Sanji attempted to unfold the cover, but it appeared the man's ribs were getting worse, probably from falling in the river, as he winced and let the blanket fall in his lap. Unable to see Sanji's face around the blond hair, Zoro was still able to clearly imagine the frustration that such weakness would cause.

Sighing, Zoro stopped unloading the crate and walked over to Sanji. With quick movements the swordsman knelt and yanked the blanket from the blond. Ignoring the other's wince and gasp as the nude man sought to pull his legs up in an attempt at modesty, Zoro quickly unfolded the covering. Sanji was once again hunched around his injured ribs, so it was easy for the green haired fighter to pull the blanket around the other man. Sanji looked up at the other's face, slightly shocked, while he was made comfortable.

Task accomplished, Zoro rose again and went to empty the crate, which he had concluded was likely the best source of flammable wood on the humid island. Setting the food and rum aside, and ignoring the eyes he could still feel following him as he worked, Zoro set about breaking the crate apart. Using his swords might have saved him a splinter or two, but unlike most swordsmen, who simply _used_ a sword, like they would any other convenient tool, Zoro felt he fought _with_ his swords, just like he fought alongside Luffy and the others. He smirked as he continued cracking boards with his bare hands, wondering what his crew mates would think if they new he considered the swords he wielded just as much his nakama as the people who comprised the word.

Zoro piled the wood in the center of the cave and gathered a few rocks to strike together. Luck was, for once, on his side as sparks flew and slowly set the wood ablaze.

Zoro's pant legs had nearly dried from his exertions, and a few minutes in front of the fire had him quite warm and relaxed. He had only glanced at Sanji a few times, but the other seemed to be settling in all right. Normally Zoro would have sat across the fire from the chef, or further away depending on the current hostility level, but he wasn't sure how well Sanji was doing and it would probably be better to be close, should the cook need something. Not that the other man would ever ask for aid, but as he was nearly brushing shoulders with his companion Zoro should be able to tell if something major was amiss.

"Why..." From the depths of the blanket, Sanji's voice reached his ears but was unintelligible after the first word.

"I didn't catch that ero-cook, try talking without your head buried in your chest... or whatever it's buried in." It was habit to try to irritate the chef whenever possible, and he succeeded as Sanji looked up and attempted to glare at him. The glare was fairly weak in comparison to the burning rage normally leveled at him, and the tone that reached his ears was subdued rather than irate, and just a little shaky.

"I said, why did you..." Sanji seemed to fumble around the word, "rescue me?" The cook had managed to meet his eyes at first, but stared at his feet as he croaked out the last few words.

Rescue? Zoro had thought this evening could get no worse for either of them, with Zoro starving and Sanji injured but he had been wrong, now the ero-cook wanted to talk. Oh well, at least this might be an easy way to help his nakama in the pride department.

"Geez ero-cook, you need to keep away from the girls' romance novels. I'm no knight in shining armor, and having been on the wrong end of some of your kicks I can attest to the fact that you're no delicate princess. I just helped out one of my crew mates, hell, I wouldn't have left anyone to those scum bags, would you?" That was going to end the longest conversation he had ever had with the blond when another thought, one he hadn't even been aware of voiced itself, "Would you have left me to those bastards, if you'd had the chance?"

"No!" The immediate and vehement denial caught the swordsman off guard and he leaned back as the other's words crashed over him. "I'd never leave anyone to those scum bags! Who would? And you...you're my nakama for crying out loud, I'd help you even if you didn't need it, hell, even if you didn't want it, if I thought you were going to be...to be abused or killed." Sudden rage spent, Sanji continued in a near whisper that Zoro had to strain to hear, "I-I know we all have our dreams to chase, and that you might actually get killed fighting another swordsman one day, but if it's anything else I would step in...and if they did kill you, well I would beat their asses...then I'd beat yours for losing."

Sanji was panting from the exertion that speech had cost him, but Zoro was glad the other had gone through the effort. Maybe there was something to be said for the cook's flowery speeches, at least those that didn't begin with '_Mellorine!'_ because the swordsman felt warmth that didn't come from the fire grow inside of him. Sanji's words voiced what he himself felt, but would never have been able to say aloud. It was a good feeling to know that, despite their occasional, okay constant, mutual irritation they weren't the bitter enemies that Zoro had feared they might be.

Looking at his...friend, Zoro smirked as he realized that Sanji probably surprised himself with what he'd just said, as the blond seemed to be rapidly becoming embarrassed, if the averted eyes and flushed face were any clue. Knowing that under normal circumstances Sanji would never be so open, Zoro decided to show some mercy and grabbed two of the bottles of rum, along with the food, that he had set nearby. Knowing Sanji couldn't manage, he pulled the cork from one bottle out with his teeth and handed it to his companion, he then did the same with a second bottle.

"I couldn't have put it better myself, ero-cook, and the sentiment is worthy of a toast...or ten." Zoro took a long pull on the bottle, downing nearly a fifth in one go.

Looking over at the cook as the blond pulled the bottle from his lips, Zoro was shocked that the bottle still looked full. Sanji caught his stare and explained.

"Liquor is for cooking, Marimo, not chugging. Tasting it for quality is all that's necessary to ascertain that a certain flavor of alcohol will blend well with the food it's prepared with." Zoro spared a thought to wonder what cookbook the chef had memorized that from when the reality of his words sank in.

"Wait, you mean, you don't drink alcohol?" Zoro questioned.

"I just said I do, moron. Where were you at Loguetown when I was draining bottles? Outside of parties though, why would you get drunk? But when cooking a bad bottle could ruin a meal so I check-"

"No, I mean, you've never drunk alcohol just to drink while we're sailing?"

Sanji's nose wrinkled in disgust. "Of course not, what a waste of both alcohol and brain power. Unlike certain narcoleptic seaweed people, I have better things to do with my time than lay about in a drunken stupor."

"Oh, like spewing stupid nonsense at every girl we ever come across?"

" I don't spew nonsense! The beautiful doves that cross our path are worthy of every praise I can give them, and of course our dear Nami-swan and Robin-chwan, deserve to be treated as queens."

Zoro just shook his head as the ero-cook once again had hearts in his eyes while he dreamed of their female crewmates. "Whatever, pervert, less talking and more drinking. You're going to finish that bottle or I'm tossing you back in the river."

"Keh! Bet I'll drink you under the table, Marimo." Sanji said, as he took a slightly deeper swallow.

It took several moments to process the cook's last statement. He didn't... Yes, yes he did! Sanji must have lost his mind to have just challenged Zoro, _**Zoro**_, to a drinking contest.

Zoro pulled the other two bottles closer to them. "You're on, curly-eyebrow, drink up."

* * *

Authors Notes:

Long time no see people! But for anyone who cares I am back and updating. One thing to mention from the previous chapter, I personally don't think Sanji would drink while sailing beyond the tasting for quality and occasional glass of wine. I have no proof of this, but creative license is all.

Hope you enjoy and review. Flames will be used to melt snow.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello all! Yes it's been a while, but I come bearing posties, forgive me? Here is the final presmut post to Pivot point, after this don't read if you don't like M stuff. Beyond that I own nothing and no one in this, and be aware (as if you'd still be here if you weren't) this story centers involves boy on boy smexing, so please flee if you don't want to read that! (you know you do)

* * *

The evening progressed in silence as the two drank down their rum. Truthfully Zoro chugged his first bottle in under two minutes and was slowly enjoying his second as he watched Sanji get blitzed by about one-third of a bottle. Zoro never really got drunk, per se, but he did relax with alcohol and even got a bit mischievous, so just to watch Sanji choke and splutter on his rum he couldn't help but throw out, "You know ero-cook, I am shocked that someone so...prissy, and so intent on impressing the ladies would ever do something as...crass as going commando."

Zoro leaned back with a smirk as he got the reaction he was wanting, and chuckled as Sanji couldn't even curse properly for coughing. As he got his breathing back the cook swung sideways, blanket twisting and slipping off one shoulder, so he was facing Zoro's profile, the cook's face unnaturally reddened by the fire and the alcohol.

"You damned, shit-head, marimo bashtard! I'm not Luffy, or you, so don't you dare go shpreading lies like that to Nami-shwan or anybody! You do and I'll feed you thish bottle." The threat was lessened dramatically by the slurring, but Zoro got the point.

"Don't worry, I won't tell the girls you're a closet pervert, but the fact that you _were_ going commando, which I sadly noticed while carrying your scrawny ass around this shitty island, lessens the credibility of your denial somewhat."

Zoro had smirked and closed his eyes, waiting for an even more enraged denial. Several seconds passed with no retort before the swordsman opened his eyes and turned to meet the stricken gaze of his companion. Sanji didn't say anything, just sat with his eyes widened as he slowly paled.

Seeing Sanji such Zoro collected his wits rapidly. "Oi, ero-cook...Sanji, what is it?"

When he got no reply Zoro fully faced his nakama, and grabbed the other man's shoulders, fixing the blanket as he did so, shook the cook slightly.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Sanji seemed to snap out of it, and with a glare grabbed Zoro's arms to shove the swordsman away. A few fierce, but injured and drunken, tugs later Sanji seemed to realize the futility of his actions and merely gripped Zoro's arms as he hung his head.

"I'm not Luffy, marimo, I don't run around half dressed. When those shit head's hunting darts got me I couldn't move at all at first, thought I might be dying actually, and one of them found me. He cut up my suit and, well, what I wasn't wearing when you found me was thrown in the fire, except my shoes, don't know where those went."

While Zoro tried to think of something, anything to say, Sanji continued.

"As much as my ribs hurt right now...I'm glad the leader of those bastards found us, I can take any shit head's beating, hell Zeff's kicks was ten times worse, but what that shitty scum had planned..."

Zoro didn't want to hear anymore, what he really wanted was to bring the bastard that did this back to life so Sanji could have the privilege of killing the son of a bitch again. His own hands matched the tremble in Sanji's thin frame, but he couldn't put two words together that might console the injured cook. Now that the alcohol had thoroughly numbed the blond, he could finally curl his legs up and form the miserable ball he'd been trying to since they'd entered the cave. The effect was only broken by the fact that his hands were still around Zoro's forearms, clinging.

Zoro thought he got the message. The cook wouldn't, and probably couldn't, ask for help, and certainly not from someone he'd likely only barely tolerated before today, but he still needed it. Needed to know that he wasn't completely on his own.

As soundlessly as possible, Zoro scooted closer, just enough that his chest brushed against the cook's folded legs, the blanket the only barrier between them. He then lightly tugged away from Sanji's grip. This would be easier if Sanji's legs weren't a pressed between them, or if his own lower limbs weren't still sticking out toward the fire, but he would manage. Slowly, gauging whether Sanji was going to pull away, he slid his arms around the other man's shoulders and tugged him into an awkward embrace.

Sanji jerked at first, not away rather in shock, but slowly relaxed. The slight tremor in him became more pronounced as he slowly lowered his legs to the side and leaned forward toward Zoro. A blanket can only take so much movement of course, and was pulled from under Zoro's arms to pool around Sanji's waist and legs. The cook froze as his covering fell, and seemed to stop breathing. Feeling that his nakama needed reassurance more than he needed his pride or his covering at the moment, Zoro tightened his grip on the blonde and pulled him close. Sanji's head was resting on his shoulder, so Zoro didn't even try to see the other man's face, but he took in the body before him.

Those bastards really had worked Sanji over good, the man's back and arms littered with bruises, and dotted with small punctures from the knife, and the bruising on his left side was turning a myriad of colors.

There were no tears, at least not that Zoro noticed, but the cook did latch on to his tee shirt in a viselike grip and shuddering breaths were all that could be heard over the fire for some time.

From Zoro's shoulder level Sanji voiced what, to him, must have been a pressing concern.

"How can I go back to the ship like this? I can't go back naked, or they'll know something happened. What am I going to do?"

"You could just tell them, Sanji, they're all your nakama, and you wouldn't deny Luffy a reason to sink the island would you? Besides, when chopper sees the bruising, he'll know you got into a fight."

"A fight yes, but not..." He awkwardly gestured at his blanket-covered form, "not this."

Zoro understood what he meant, and in fact already had a solution in mind for when Sanji brought up this problem.

"Look tomorrow morning I'm heading back to the ship, you can just stay here-"

"NO!" Zoro sat shocked as Sanji's head snapped up and the other man pulled away from him.

"You bastard! I get hurt and once, just once, need your damned help and you want to leave me here?" The cook ignored his attempt to interrupt as the blond scooted back until he hit the far wall from Zoro, not even looking at the swordsman as he continued to rant. "I could have beaten them all, damn it, I didn't even need you there..." The drunken cook violently swiped a hand across his eyes as he sat and shook in what Zoro hoped was still rage.

Shocked and insulted at Sanji's assumption Zoro lunged across the small cave, nearly tripping over the blanket that Sanji had been too drunk to drag along, and threw himself against the trembling cook. The two struggled briefly, both lashing out with fists at the other. Sanji managed to clip Zoro on the chin before the swordsman's strength won out over the drunk and injured chef and Sanji was thrown violently to the cave floor, with the green haired fighter catching himself just before landing on top of the other man. Even enraged, Zoro knew that the full weight of a muscled fighter on Sanji's injured ribs would definitely worsen his injuries. If he killed the bastard chef he wanted it to be on purpose.

They struggled on the ground for a few more moments before Zoro laid his forearm against Sanji's throat and pressed, hindering but not completely stopping the other's airflow. Sanji tried to pull the offending arm off before the swordsman caught both of the other's thin wrists and pulled them above his head. He sat next to the cook's chest while his upper body was stretched across the blond, holding him in place. Zoro was trying his best to subdue without injuring his irate nakama, but if got kicked for his efforts he would crush the damned cook and be done with it.

His face was bare inches from Sanji's as he snarled, "What. The fuck. Is your problem, you bastard chef."

"You! You betraying...Marimo...I'll kick...your ass-" Sanji could barely breathe with the pressure on his throat, but still managed to curse his crew mate.

"Betraying? I'm never getting you drunk again you complete moron. You really think I meant to leave you here? What the hell kind of scum do you think I am, Sanji?"

Sanji struggled underneath him, but failed to budge the muscled swordsman.

"You're the one who said you were leaving, asshole, what the hell else could you mean?"

Zoro looked down at his companion, the hurt and near fear from the situation finally plain on his pale face. He felt his own anger toward Sanji ebbing away, realizing the other man was probably so ashamed that he had failed to protect himself that he had thought his own nakama might abandon him. With a deep sigh Zoro explained what he had meant.

"I wasn't going to abandon you, you moron, before you threw this fit I was going to say that I would go back to the ship, while you stayed here." He ignored Sanji's flinch over this, "When I got back to the ship and 'found out' that you never made it back, I would volunteer to find you, stopping downstairs long enough to grab you some clothes, and head back out here. Then we could just return to the ship, and you could explain the fight however you wanted. I doubt that anyone would notice the color of your suit in the face of your injuries."

His monologue complete, Zoro released Sanji's wrists and moved his other arm to rest by the blond's head, freeing up the cook's airflow. He hovered over the other man so he wouldn't miss any reaction. Sanji must be even more mentally messed up than normal to think Zoro would just leave him here.

The green haired fighter almost backed away when quiet laughter bubbled from Sanji.

"Heh heh, I really heh...am drunk, aren't I? I thought...ha ha...that you were...disgusted with me or...ha...something-" Sanji's eye widened dramatically as a rough hand was clamped over his mouth. Zoro had heard enough of this derogatory crap. He wanted to punch the cook for being so stupid, but knew that wouldn't help. Instead this required more of one of his least favorite activities, talking.

"Could you just stop with that crap, ero-cook? We might not get along much, or at all, but I wouldn't just leave you here. Even if I did, Luffy, Nami and everyone else would come for you, then kill me when they found out what happened. You're not weak. You're as strong as me and Luffy, and even if you weren't, we wouldn't abandon you. Look at Nami and Usopp, they might not be superb fighters, but they're our nakama. We don't abandon our nakama." Zoro would never be as eloquent as the moron sprawled beneath him, but that didn't mean he couldn't try, "They won't, and I won't abandon you."

Zoro watched as Sanji closed his eyes and slumped back against the cave floor. He smirked a bit as he pulled his hand from the other's mouth. Maybe he had finally gotten through to the cook that losing to five men while drugged was not a reason to be ashamed of yourself.

Figuring that the exhausted man might actually pass out now that his fears had been set to rest, Zoro began to move away from the cook. He was slightly surprised when Sanji's hands swooped down from above the blond's head to clutch Zoro's shirt collar.

Zoro froze as chapped lips were pressed roughly against his own. Not moving, hell, not even breathing the swordsman tried to take stock of the situation. Sanji's eyes were closed and what Zoro could see of the man's face seemed to be set in fierce determination. Yes, the cook was definitely determined as he began rubbing his mouth against Zoro's with soft pressure, the blond's tongue lapping at the swordsman's lips in a request of entrance. More concerning, if that was possible, was that the cook was pulling Zoro's chest down to meet his own, hard. Finally overbalancing the green haired man, Zoro's upper body collapsed on that of his nakama.

"San-" Zoro started worried he had further damaged his friend when any speech was cut off by Sanji's successful invasion. Zoro's eyes slid closed as an enthusiastic tongue began mapping his mouth. The swordsman tasted rum, cigarettes, though it had been hours since Sanji had smoked any, and some kind of Sanji cooked meal that he couldn't place. Of their own volition, Zoro's hands came up to cup Sanji's face and he raised the kiss to bruising level. The swordsman was blind-sided. He hadn't seen this coming at all, but damned if he wasn't thrilled to reciprocate.

* * *

Author's notes:

Woohoo another chapter! I know Sanji is acting odd and a bit emotional, but remember, he was drugged, is now drunk, and I can only imagine the emotional fallout of what he's been through would be enough to knock him off his game.

Please review, flames will be used to keep my corner of hell nice and toasty!


End file.
